- Date
- March 28, 1997, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1118EBellanca 8KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970328048089A
- Case key
- 28182
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. The crosswind was a related factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the wind was approximately 16 to 18 knots with the windsock at a direct 90 degree crosswind to runway 14. The pilot stated that he did a go-around on his first landing attempt, because the two main gear did not touch at the same time. According to him, on the second landing attempt, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and the tail shifted, which he corrected with aileron. The pilot stated that after passing trees on the side of the runway, a second gust of wind caught the tail, and the airplane went off the runway. According to the pilot, he added power to avoid a nose over and to jump a ditch. The pilot shut down engine power in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid striking trees, which were located adjacent to the runway at about three-quarters of its length.
Factual narrative
On March 28, 1997, at about 1415 eastern standard time, N1118E, a Bellanca 8KCAB, owned and operated by the private pilot sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees off the side of the runway while on approach to runway 14, at the Warrenton/Fauquier Airport in Warrenton, Virginia. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan was filed for this local flight. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, the wind was approximately 16-18 knots with the wind sock at a direct 90 degree crosswind to runway 14. The pilot stated that he did a go-around on his first landing attempt because the two main gear did not touch at the same time. According to the pilot, on the second landing attempt, a gust of wind forced the tail to shift which he corrected with aileron. The pilot stated after passing trees on the side of the runway, a second gust of wind caught the tail and pushed the airplane off of the runway. According to the pilot, he added power to avoid a nose over and jump a ditch. The pilot believed the airplane was certain to hit the trees, so he shut down as impact occurred.
According to the FAA, the airplane hit the trees first with the right wing forcing it to spin around. The FAA stated the airplane hit the trees about 3/4 of the way down runway 14.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1118E
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 304-77
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Departed
- VA36 · Fork Union, VA
- Airport
- W66 · Faquier, runway 14, 4,103 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 90 in this make and model · 90 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.